This is an essay. It contains the advice or opinions of one or more Wikipedia contributors. This page is not an encyclopedia article, nor is it one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines, as it has not been thoroughly vetted by the community. Some essays represent widespread norms; others only represent minority viewpoints. |
This page in a nutshell: Editing Wikipedia changes you, leaving you better informed than those who have not edited. |
Editing Wikipedia is like entering a foreign country. It is no one's native country.
As a linguist by profession, I have visited around 30 foreign countries, some repeatedly. I'm sharing with you here my take on how not Wikipedia itself, but editing Wikipedia is like entering a foreign country.
One way Wikipedia is NOT like a foreign country: just as in "the real world", there are good people, inspiring people, modest and humble people, self-sacrificing people, people who would be delighted to learn whatever you can teach them, or answer any of your questions they can. Then there are bullies, braggarts, bigots, bandits, conspiracy theorists, those for whom evidence is irrelevant, miscellaneous assholes, and evildoers: vandalizers, or those who deliberately create misleading edit summaries, for example. People are still people, good and bad. But in the Wikipedia world, you assume good faith. Not so much the practice in "the real world".
© MMXXIII Rich X Search. We shall prevail. All rights reserved. Rich X Search